Automatic lubricator.



, F, FOLKERS. AUTOMATIC LUBRICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 2, I917.

Patented July 2, 1918.

F 1 32mm? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- FoLKER'r FOLKERS, or onloirroiv, ALABAMA, assrenon TO HIMSELF CAMPBELL, or MOBILE, ALA MA.

AUTOMATIC LUBnIoAroR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Ann LnsLin E.

Patented July 2,1918.

Application filed October 2, 1917. Serial No.,194,303.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FOLKERT FoLKERs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Crichton, in the county of Mobile, State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Lubrica-- tors, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanylng drawings, forming a part hereof.v

My invention relates to lubricating devices and has for its object to provide a lubricating device particularly adapted for lubricating the guideways for elevators whlch will be adapted to be operated to supply lubricant to such guidewa-ys by the movement of the elevator in stopping and starting.

Vith these and other objects hereinafter explained inview, my invention consists in the construction and combination of elements hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is an elevation of an elevator car and portion of its guide ways showing the lubricating device of my invention applied to the elevator car.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View on an enlarged scale of the lubricating device, and

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the same.

In the drawings, 1 indicates the elevator car having shoes 2, which travel on guideways 3 as the elevator car moves up and down. In order to make the elevator car travel easily it is necessary to supply lubricant to these shoes at frequent intervals but in small quantity so as to avoid waste. The device of my invention is particularly adapted and intended for this purpose. The device consists of an oil reservoir 4, preferably of glass, having an opening in its bottom controlled by a needle valve 5, the opening leading to a tube 6, preferably also of glass, inclosed in an outer tube 7, which supports the reservoir 4 and has an opening 8 in it through which the oil as it passes down the tube 6 may be seen. This tube 7 is screwthreaded at its lower end into the top 9 of a receptacle which is suitably secured to the elevator car and has its lower end 11 tapered to a suitable size and extended laterally into a suitable opening in the shoe 2. This receptacle 10 is preferably partly filled with waste or other absorbent material 12. When the valve 5 is lifted a small quantity of oil will flow down through tube 6 intoreceptacle 10 and will gradually filter through the waste 12 and be led through the end 11 to the shoe to the surface in contact. with the way 3. The valve5 is carried by a valve rod 13 which near its upper end is reduced in diameter to form a shoulder 14 against which a coiled spring 15 bears to hold the valve to its seat. The valve rodis preferably inclosed in a vertical tube 16 having anopening 17 near its lower end to permit the oil to reach the'opening controlled by' the valve. At its upper end the tube 16 is screw threaded to receive a cap 18 through which the valve rod passes and which forms an abutment for the upper end of the spring 15.

To the upper end of the valve rod is pivoted an arm 20 which extends through an opening 21 in a vertical arm 22 carried by a plate 24 which is-arranged to be capable of rotation on the vertical tube 16 on the top of the reservoir and serving as a cover for the filling opening 25. This arm 20 carries a weight 23 near its outer end, preferably made adjustable on the arm. The arm 20 is made of spring metal so as to be resilient while acting also as a lever fulcrumed in the openin 21.

As the elevator car stops and starts in its movement from the ground to the upper floor of a building the lever arm 20 will, by reason of the inertia of the weight in start ing or the momentum of the weight as the car is brought to a stop at a landing or otherwise, cause the valve rod to be lifted and permit a small amount of oil to escape into tube 6 and into receptacle 10, thus supplying oil as it is needed to lubricate the guideways. By adjusting weight 23 on the arm 20, the movement of the valve rod and the consequent feed of oil may be regulated.

It will, of course, be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the precise construction shown or to the use of the invention in connection with elevators, as it is obvious that it may be used whenever an element moves vertically on a guideway and is subject to starting and stopping.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A lubricating device for an element movable on vertical ways, adapted to be carried on the movable element, comprising an oil reservoir, a valve controlling the flow of'oil from the reservoir, a valve rod for the valve, a springlever pivoted at one end to the valve rod, a fulcrum for the spring lever carried bythe reservoir, a weight adjustable on the spring lever, and a spring for holding the valve normally closed. 1 I V 2. A lubricating device for an element movable on vertical ways,-adaptedto;be car ried on the movable element, comprising an oil reservoir, a valve controlling the flow of oil from the reservoir, a valve rod for the valve, a s'pring'lever pivoted at one end to the valve rod, a fulcrum for the spring lever carriedby the reservoir, a weight adjustable on the spring lever, and a spring carried by the valve rod for holding the valve normally closed.

3. A lubricating device for an element movable on vertical ways adapted to be carried on the movable element, comprising an oil reservoir,v having a filling opening in its top, a valve controlling the flow of oil from the reservoir, a valve rod for the valve, a plate mounted to rotate on the reservoir adapted to serve as a cover for the filling opening and provided with a vertical arm, a spring arm fulcrumed in said vertical arm connected with the valve rod at one end and carrying a weight near its free end, and a spring arranged to hold the valve normally closed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature this 28th day of September 191-7;

FOLKERT FOLKERS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, 'Washington; D'. C. 

